Internet Relay Chat and Chat Rooms

Background

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is one of the earliest Internet applications. It was created after email but before the creation of the World Wide Web. It is a method to carry on real time "conversations" with other computer users over the Internet by typing text into a chat client -- a computer program such as mIRC or vIRC. The chat client relays the information to a chat server which relays the message to other users on the "channel." In this way, people from all over the world can "meet" and "talk" in a "virtual space." More recently, commerical enterprises have introduced similar (proprietary) programs such as ICQ, Instant Messenger, and WWW Chat Rooms.

Chat Rooms are similar to IRC except that they are offered in conjunction with particular web sites and are accessed through web browsers instead of chat clients. Because they are easier to access, they are more popular with casual Internet users.

IRC Channels and WWW Chat Rooms

Discussions at the BRC: Weekly online discussions moderated by Elorin at http://www.thebrc.net/ beginning at 9 PM every Tuesday. Topics vary, from items of interest to Dominants and/or submissives, technique (fire play, knife play, discussion of play styles) to topics basic, intermediate, and advanced. Come, ask questions, contribute your experience, suggest topics, etc. Open to all roles, all locations. Wednesdays are "Dungeon Chat" with guest presenters on all topics, at an earlier time. Check the website for discussion times and transcripts of past discussions.

Dr. Franklin is now maintaining a channel on IRC called #bdsmtexas on efnet. He is trying to get some members. You can use irc.primenet.com to access the efnet.

#bdsm-austin on dalnet is "open to chat, scening, sharing information, debate or anything promoting the alt. scene" in Austin. There are many dalnet servers, and the standard windows client mIRC lists them.

KY BDSM Chat: KUFS (Lexington), the Paradox Group (Lousiville), and the Louisville Munch Bunch have collaborated to create an IRC channel for members of the KY BDSM community to connect and chat. For access visit one of the following four links:

The #Leather_and_Roses homepage is dedicated to another such channel on udernet. The site reads "the creators of the channel added a bit of imagination to it. IRC is for fun, so LnR has that too. We set the channel inside a castle. We think it gives the feeling of a dungeon type atmosphere very well. We have also found in the past year that the setting lends itself very well to creativity and imagination. LnR is not a gorean channel, though we do have gorean guests."

Selected IRC Client Programs

mIRC at http://www.mirc.com/: "mIRC is a friendly IRC client that is well equipped with options and tools. mIRC is shareware, which means that you can download mIRC and try it out freely for 30 days to evaluate it. "

Acronyms: For a list of popular acronyms -- mostly BDSM acronyms -- which are used in IRC, Chat, Email, and Usenet News Groups, please read "(Mostly) BDSM Acronyms" at http://www.EvilMonk.org/A/acronyms.cfm.

Links: It's possible to visit an IRC channel by clicking on a web link. If you'd like to know how or learn how to develop webpages with these links, read "IRC Links: .chat and irc://" at http://www.EvilMonk.org/A/irc_linx.cfm